Ex-Macomb County Public Works commissioner Anthony Marrocco reports to federal prison
Anthony Marrocco used to be one of Macomb County’s most feared politicians.
Now, the former Democratic officeholder is Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate No. 58267-039.
The 74-year-old reported Thursday to the federal prison in Morgantown, West Virginia, hundreds of miles from his homes in Michigan and Florida, to serve a three-month sentence in a massive corruption probe in Macomb County.
The probe netted politicians from both sides of the aisle and businessmen in Wayne and Oakland counties, including trash kingpin Chuck Rizzo and towing titan Gasper Fiore. But Marrocco was the one the feds wanted, a key high-profile figure in the yearslong probe.
What happened?
Marrocco, who was Macomb County's longtime public works commissioner until he lost the election in 2016, was indicted in 2020 on four charges, including extortion.
He pleaded guilty to one count of attempted extortion in September 2022. The other three charges were dismissed.
Federal prosecutors said that in April 2016, Marrocco sought to pressure a developer to purchase tickets to his fundraiser by indicating the developer’s permit applications to public works would be delayed or denied if he did not. The developer was not identified by name, but the plea agreement stated the developer was the owner or part-owner of multiple companies that performed work in Macomb County and elsewhere.
In March, Marrocco was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland in Port Huron to three months in prison.
Thursday was the day Marrocco was to surrender to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
His attorney, Steve Fishman, previously asked Cleland whether he could request that Marrocco serve the prison time in Pensacola, Florida, where Marrocco's family lives. Cleland did recommend to the Federal Bureau of Prisons that Marrocco be designated to the Federal Prison Camp in Pensacola, according to a judgment filed in court.
More: Ex-Macomb public works boss Anthony Marrocco gets 3 months in federal prison
What's the prison in Morgantown like?
It is a minimum-security federal correctional institution for male offenders, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website.
The prison has 520 inmates at its northern West Virginia location, which is near West Virginia University and just over an hour south of Pittsburgh.
Various media reports indicated that Richard Hatch, who won the first season of the television show "Survivor" served time in the prison. A jury found Hatch guilty in 2006 of tax evasion and filing a false return for not reporting to the IRS about $1.4 million he earned from the show and other sources, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Media mogul Martha Stewart and former Detroit City Councilwoman Monica Conyers served time in a different prison in the Mountain State — a female federal prison in southern West Virginia: Alderson Federal Prison Camp, which is nicknamed "Camp Cupcake."
What happens after Marrocco's released from prison?
Marrocco is to serve two years of supervised release, with the first 450 days in home detention in northern Macomb County. He is not to use the internet or have guests or visitors who aren’t preapproved.
No parties or golf, either.
He’ll be monitored by a GPS tether for nearly a year, 360 days, while on home detention in Ray Township.
More: Making Marrocco's home a prison: No TV, no parties, no golf
Does he have to pay a fine?
Yes — $50,000. And $100 in special assessments. As of May 11, he paid the special assessment.
Starting Sept. 15 — and on the 15th day of every month thereafter — he will pay $2,500 to the clerk of the court via an electronic payment service, according to federal court records filed in May.
More: Macomb County's culture of corruption: 'It's how it's always been'
According to the court records, he also must promptly report any regular, monthly increase in gross income of 10% or more or any material change in monthly gross income, material defined as any change affecting his ability to make the monthly payments or warranting an increase or decrease in the payment amounts because of a monthly increase or decrease in gross income of 10% or more.
Every 18 months, he must complete and submit a financial statement of debtor form with required attachments, per the records.
Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.
Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ex-Macomb County Public Works commissioner reports to federal prison
